Breakup, makeup

Anthony's layered debut follows 19-year-old transgender nonbinary Eli Peterson as they compete against their ex-boyfriend to win a scholarship to Beyond, an elite special effects and costume design school. The competition, Makeup Wars, requires participants to showcase their makeup skills and cosplaying talent in accordance with varying themes; Eli hopes to use the win to turn their status as a megapopular beauty influencer into a career as an SFX artist. When they learn that their ex-boyfriend, Zachary Miller, will also be participating, longing for Zach--compounded by Eli's belief that the two weren't compatible due to their disparate financial situations--prompts feelings of self-doubt. While managing their lingering love for Zach, Eli also stresses about saving money for top surgery. As the competition grows more heated, Eli must confront their insecurities if they hope to win. Luckily, a cast of intersectionally inclusive friends and rivals support Eli as they work toward overcoming their trauma-informed belief that they have to be "their own safety net" to survive. Anthony's organic descriptions of makeup, cosplay, and convention culture add texture to this inspiring story about self-acceptance and second chances. Most characters cue as white. Ages 13--up. Agent: Paige Wheeler, CMA. (May)

Old flames meet at a cosplay contest. Eli, a nonbinary makeup artist and cosplay influencer taking a gap year before college, dreams of working behind the scenes on films, bringing fantastical beings to life. Between shifts at Denny's, Eli attends FaeCon in one of their ambitious cosplays. There, they learn that their hero, Theresa Jenkins, a makeup artist and co-creator of the tabletop role-playing game podcast Chaos Reign, is offering a scholarship to Beyond, Eli's dream special-effects makeup school in Hollywood, as first prize in the Makeup Wars contest. Eli enters--only to find out Zach, their ex, is also competing. Lingering bitterness and jealous romantic tension make it difficult for Eli to focus on their craft, but after Zach saves Eli from a makeup prosthesis mishap, the pair broach a tentative friendship. Supported by best friend Bodhi, Eli struggles over their feelings for Zach while fighting to win. The writing grips from the start and shines most when Eli is performing the more technical aspects of their cosplays. Unfortunately, though Eli is a huge nerd and adores the Chaos Reign podcast, readers are given scant details about the game's lore or what draws Eli to its characters, leaving odd gaps given that the bulk of the plot is about cosplaying. Fun spot art opens each chapter. Eli and Zach seem to default to White; Bodhi is implied Indian and White. Only held back from greatness by limited worldbuilding. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.